How to Make Homemade Udon Noodles?

Udon is a kind of thick Japanese noodle that is usually made with wheat flour. It is often served in soups with different broths and toppings or in a simple, clear broth with a sprinkle of spring onions. In the summer, udon can also be served cold with a dipping sauce, salad, or chilled broth.

Udon is chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, water, and salt. They are usually served in a simple broth made from dashi. They are thicker than buckwheat soba noodles, usually two to four millimetres, and can be flat or round. Udon dough can be hard to work with, and some people swear by stomping on it to loosen it up.

What are Udon Noodles?

Udon is a thick Japanese strand noodle that can come in different sizes, shapes, and other ingredients. It is usually served in soup. Most udon noodles are made from wheat flour, but in some parts of the world, they are made with potato starch or carrots to make them orange. Udon is usually round or square and thick, but it can also be flat and ribbon-like. It can be bought fresh or dried, and when boiled before eating, it makes noodles that are both slippery and chewy.

Most udon comes from Japan and is sold dried or frozen. However, some markets sell udon that has already been cooked and can be warmed up in soup or stir-fried and served. Udon is sold in grocery stores, Asian markets, and online. It tends to be a little more expensive than regular pasta, and Asian markets have more things to choose from and sometimes sell fresh udon noodles. Instant soups that come in a package and use udon noodles are popular in Japan and other Asian countries.

Before serving, udon noodles are boiled in water and can be used right out of the package. They are often used in soups like Kake udon, just noodles, broth, or soups with curry or red miso broth that have more flavour. Popular toppings include tempura or fried tofu and shrimp, as well as eggs and different kinds of meat and vegetables. Udon can be stir-fried with sauce or served cold with a sauce to dip it in (zaru udon).

How to Make Homemade Udon Noodles?

You can make your udon noodles home with flour, salt, and water. Knead the dough for a few minutes until it is smooth, then let it rest for at least an hour. This will make it easier to roll out the dough. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough out on a floured counter, turning it 90 degrees every few rolls until it’s the thickness you want (usually just under 1/4 inch). Cut into noodles, dust with flour or cornstarch, and cook immediately in water simmering for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how thick the noodles are. They will stay afloat.

Dry udon can be cooked by adding it directly to boiling water. Depending on the type, this can take anywhere from 8 to 12 minutes. Taste a noodle to see if it’s ready. It should be chewy, without a hard spot in the middle, and not too soft. Fresh, uncooked udon that has been frozen can usually be cooked without first being thawed. Follow the directions on the package for each kind of udon.

All boiled udon should be cooked in a lot of boiling water, so it doesn’t stick and turns out right. Udon noodles that have already been cooked and come in a package can often be added to hot broth or stir-fried right from the box. In the pot or pan, they will heat up and finish cooking.

The ingredients and method for making udon noodles are very simple!

Homemade Udon Noodle Recipe

• 1½ –2 cups of water
• Three tablespoons salt
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• Cornstarch or potato starch, for dusting (optional: Use flour if you don’t have cornstarch or potato starch)

Instructions

1. Stir water and salt together in a large bowl or measuring cup until the salt is dissolved.
2. Pile the flour into a mound with a well in the middle on a clean work surface. Slowly pour water into the center of the well and mix it with your hands to make a stiff dough. (You might not use all of the water, or you might need a little more. Flour with more protein, like bread flour, will need more water.)
3. Give the dough a 10-minute break. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it is firm but smooth. If you find it hard to knead the dough, you can put it in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and cut a hole in the top so air can escape. Put the bag of dough between two clean kitchen towels and knead it with your feet.
4. Cover the dough with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let it rest for two to eight hours, depending on the kitchen’s temperature (more time in a cold room, less time in a hot room).
5. Sprinkle flour on a clean work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle that is 14 to 18 of an inch thick, turning the dough as you go. (You can also roll out dough with a pasta machine.)
6. Dust the dough with starch and fold it into quarters accordion-style, with the short end of the rectangle facing you. There should be enough space between the folds to fit a chopstick into the centrefold.
7. Use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the rolled-out dough into noodles that are 14 inches thick. Lift the noodles by putting a chopstick through the centrefold and onto the noodles.
8. Bring a big pot of water without salt to a boil. Slowly add the noodles so that the water stays at a spot. Cook the noodles until they are a little softer than al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles under cold running water, shaking the colander to keep the noodles apart. Serve in a soup or with a sauce to dip.

Notes